Cotehele House

2 miles (4 km)

Explore the beautiful grounds of this Tudor house near Saltash in Cornwall. Outside you will find formally planted terraces, the Valley Garden with medieval stewpond and dovecote, the Upper Garden and two orchards. The River Tamar also runs through the grounds where you can stroll along the pretty Cothele Quay. Here you will find the Discovery Centre where you can find out about the interesting history of the quay. In the 19th century paddle steamers would pass and vessels would stop to load and unload their cargo at Cothele. You can also explore the Tudor house with tapestries, arms and armour, pewter, brass and old oak furniture.
The wide estate covers 1300 acres so there is plenty of scope for extending your walk. There are miles of walking paths taking you to woodland, fields, industrial ruins and working farm buildings. Highlights include the Prospect Tower which you can climb for splendid views of the Calstock Viaduct, Kit Hill and Plymouth Sound. The tiny Chapel-in-the-Wood was used by Richard Edgcumbe to hide from King Richard III's men in 1483. The Tamar Valley Discovery Trail also runs past Cothele so you could continue you walk along the river too. Also nearby is the lovely Kit Hill Country Park where you can climb to the hill summit and enjoy fabulous views over the Tamar Valley and Dartmoor.